Browned off Motherwell to take action

Scottish Premier League club Motherwell have laid a complaint to the league over Craig Brown’s move to Aberdeen.

Brown, 70, had guided the Fir Park side to fifth but abruptly resigned, along with assistant Archie Knox, on Thursday.

Just one day later he was announced as the new Aberdeen boss, infuriating Motherwell and leading to a complaint made to the league.

“The board of Motherwell are extremely disappointed by the conduct of Aberdeen in this matter and seek guidance from the SPL as to how we should proceed with this complaint,” Motherwell director Stewart Robertson said.

“We believe that the conduct of the board of Aberdeen in this matter has been wholly inappropriate and in clear breach of SPL rules as well as basic courtesy.”

Robertson is upset because Aberdeen did not ask for Motherwell’s permission when speaking to Brown.

“At no point did they inform us or seek our permission to speak to critical employees of our club and to seek to entice them to leave our employment,” he said.

“We realise the desperation they are feeling and the pressure they are under from their fans for their own performance as a board but to go about their business in this way is a matter of gross discourtesy.”

“It is also conduct which is beneath the integrity we would expect of a club of Aberdeen’s stature.”

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne rejected the suggestions that permission was not granted, saying Motherwell had no issue with Brown talking to the club.

“Craig informed Motherwell that Aberdeen were interested in speaking to him and the Fir Park club raised no objection,” Milne said.

While Brown and Knox were not meant to take charge until Monday, the pair made their way to the touchline after after seeing their new side concede two goals in the first nine minutes at Hearts on Saturday.

But they had no answer for the Hearts onslaught as they romped to a 5-0 victory, which sent Aberdeen to the bottom of the Scottish Premier League table.

Brown has a task on his hands at one of Scotland’s most famous clubs, with Aberdeen having lost their last seven matches and having conceded 23 goals.